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Cells
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Neural Governance of Gastrointestinal Motility
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Neural Governance of Gastrointestinal Motility

A Special Issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 1713

Editor

Prof. Dr. Jiande Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Interests: disorders of gut-brain interaction; gastrointestinal motility and neuromodulation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a complex organ system whose proper function relies on the precise coordination of neural, muscular, and epithelial components. Neural governance plays a pivotal role in regulating gastrointestinal motility, encompassing processes such as peristalsis, segmentation, and sphincter control. This Special Issue of Cells, titled Neural Governance of Gastrointestinal Motility, aims to provide an integrated platform for cutting-edge research exploring the neural mechanisms underlying GI motility under both physiological and pathological conditions. Contributions are welcomed on diverse topics including enteric nervous system, autonomic nervous system, central and peripheral neural modulation, neuro-immune interactions, neural control of smooth muscle contractility, and the impact of gut-brain axis signaling on physiology and pathophysiology of gastrointestinal motility. Additionally, studies on advanced in vitro and in vivo models, imaging technologies, electrophysiological techniques, and computational modeling that elucidate neural control mechanisms are highly encouraged. By consolidating insights from molecular, cellular, and systemic perspectives, this Special Issue seeks to advance our understanding of GI neurobiology. Ultimately, this collection will serve as a valuable resource for researchers interested in the neural regulation of gut function.

Prof. Dr. Jiande Chen
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • enteric nervous system
  • gastrointestinal motility
  • neural circuitry
  • neurotransmitter signaling
  • smooth muscle regulation
  • neuron–epithelial
  • organoid models
  • gut-brain axis
  • neuro-immune interaction
  • neuromodulation

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 7899 KB  
Article
Effects of Vagal Nerve Stimulation on Rectal Tone and Distal Colon Transit in Rats Mediated via the Vagal-Sacral Pathway
by Yan Li, Yan Wang, Shiying Li, Kaijie Wang, Jahangir Alam, Shiyuan Gong, Ying Zhu and Jiande D. Z. Chen
Cells 2026, 15(11), 1037; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15111037 - 5 Jun 2026
Viewed by 1096
Abstract
The vagus nerve (innervating the gut from esophagus to proximal colon) and sacral nerve (innervating distal colon and rectum) are key parasympathetic regulators of gastrointestinal (GI) function. While vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has shown therapeutic potential in upper GI disorders, its role in [...] Read more.
The vagus nerve (innervating the gut from esophagus to proximal colon) and sacral nerve (innervating distal colon and rectum) are key parasympathetic regulators of gastrointestinal (GI) function. While vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has shown therapeutic potential in upper GI disorders, its role in modulating distal colon and rectal function remains poorly understood. This study investigated the effects and mechanisms of VNS on distal colon transit and rectal tone in rats. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were implanted with stimulation electrodes at the cervical or auricular vagal afferent nerve. VNS was applied with varying frequencies, pulse widths, and amplitudes. Rectal tone was assessed using a barostat device, and distal colon transit was evaluated using bead expulsion. Nitrergic and cholinergic contributions were examined using L-NAME and nNOS expression, and acetylcholine ELISA and ChAT expression, respectively. Central pathways were investigated by immunofluorescence staining of c-fos and ChAT in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS). Sacral efferent pathway was assessed by chemogenetic inhibition of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) and Barrington nucleus (BN/PMC). VNS (5 Hz, 0.1 and 0.5 ms, 0.5 mA) significantly increased rectal volume, indicating relaxation, and accelerated distal colon transit. L-NAME abolished VNS-induced rectal relaxation, while nNOS expression in the rectum was upregulated, confirming nitrergic mediation. Distal colon transit was associated with increased acetylcholine release and ChAT expression, highlighting cholinergic involvement. VNS enhanced c-fos and ChAT-positive neurons in the NTS, suggesting central integration of vagal afferent signals. Chemogenetic inhibition of DMV and BN attenuated rectal relaxation, indicating that VNS effects are mediated via a vagal–NTS–sacral pathway. VNS modulates distal colon transit and rectal tone through coordinated nitrergic and cholinergic signaling and central vagal-to-sacral circuits. These findings reveal functional crosstalk between vagal and sacral parasympathetic pathways and provide mechanistic insight into potential VNS therapy for lower GI disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neural Governance of Gastrointestinal Motility)
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